Monday, October 11, 2010

Pumpkin Ravioli

Every bit as amazing as it sounds. I forgot to take pictures, but it's probably for the best because as delicious as it was, I don't make the prettiest ravioli! It was my first time; I'll get better. This recipe is from Food Network's Wolfgang Puck and uses the pasta dough recipe below.

Ingredients:
  • 10 Tbsp unsalted butter (heck yeah!)
  • 1 lb fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
  • 2 cups heavy cream (double heck yeah!)
  • 1/2 bay leaf
  • 2 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 recipe pasta dough (below)
  • 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
  • Semolina or all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 shallots, chopped

Heat a saute pan over low heat and add 4 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter is foamy, add the cubed pumpkin and cook, stirring often to stop it from sticking and burning, until it softens and falls into a puree.

Turn the pumpkin into a saucepan, add 1/2 of the cream and half the herbs and cook over a low heat for approximately 1 hour, or until the puree is thick and the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and beat in an additional 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the beaten eggs, season, to taste, with salt and pepper and set a side to cool.

On a floured surface, roll out the pasta as thin as possible. Cut into 2 sheets and brush 1 of them with egg wash. Using a teaspoon, place 24 equal mounds of the pumpkin puree on the egg-washed dough, about 2 inches apart. Cover the mounded dough with the second sheet of pasta and press around the mounds of pumpkin to seal the dough.

Using a ravioli cutter or a sharp knife cut the ravioli. Dust a tray with semolina and place the ravioli on it.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, while you make the sauce.

Prepare the sauce: In a saucepan, reduce the stock with the shallots to 1/2 cup. Add the remaining cream and reduce by half. Over a low heat, whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, a little at a time, over low heat. Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and add the remaining sage and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the ravioli to the rapidly boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Add the ravioli to the sauce and bring just to a boil. Correct the seasonings.

*I used canned pumpkin instead of fresh pumpkin and a little red onion in place of shallots. I also did not strain the sauce before finishing it. It turned out soooo good! And I gotta say, Joe is one of the best sous chefs a girl could ask for!

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